On August 12, continental Europe will experience its first full solar eclipse of the century, leading to significant price hikes in hotels across Iceland and parts of Spain. According to data from the analytics firm Lighthouse, the average room rate in Reykjavik, Iceland, on the night of the eclipse has surpassed $1,000, representing a more than 140% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
In northern Spain, hotel prices in La Coruña have doubled, while those in Bilbao and Santiago de Compostela have risen by 59% and 31%, respectively. On the island of Mallorca, where the eclipse will be visible low on the horizon at sunset, accommodation costs have also climbed by a fifth. Helga Maria Albertsdottir, general manager of the Sky Lagoon in Reykjavik, noted that demand has far exceeded expectations and is coming from all over the world.
Ryan Connolly, co-founder of the high-end travel agency Hidden Iceland, revealed that the company received its first eclipse booking as early as September 2024 and had to start rejecting new reservations by March of this year, with the entire country having been "sold out" for some time. Bogi Nils Bogason, CEO of Icelandair, stated that the airline has added flights to meet the surge in demand, particularly from U.S. travelers, and will operate at "full peak capacity." Delta Air Lines has also introduced new routes from New York to Reykjavik.
On the short-term rental platform Airbnb, the price of listings in Iceland for the night of the eclipse has risen by 53.7% year-on-year. Spain, due to its larger supply of accommodations, has seen a relatively smaller impact, though prices in areas within the path of totality have still increased by an average of 15.8%. The Spanish government projects that the eclipse will generate an additional €342 million in tourism spending, drawing visitors from popular southern destinations to the less frequented interior regions of "empty Spain" that lie within the totality zone.
However, some parts of Spain are still enforcing special restrictions to prevent wildfires, with the Aragon region limiting vehicle access and open flames, and several natural parks in Valencia being closed. Cruise lines Princess Cruises and Virgin Voyages have fully sold out their eclipse-viewing voyages along the coasts of Spain and Iceland. Travelers choosing Iceland over Spain are hoping for clear skies, as cloud cover can significantly reduce the visibility of the eclipse.
Albertsdottir from Sky Lagoon mentioned that the current weather forecast for Reykjavik is "ideal," with only minimal cloud cover. Most of Hidden Iceland's clients are planning to watch the eclipse from the Reykjanes Peninsula, exploring volcanic areas during the day, and even if the weather turns poor, "they have other activities, so the trip is still worthwhile." Tour operators report that the next total solar eclipse, dubbed the "eclipse of the century," will occur in Luxor, Egypt, next August, featuring the longest duration of totality visible from land until 2114, and bookings are already pouring in rapidly.